Prince William visited hospital patients as he opened a trauma unit in Aintree.
The Duke of Cambridge began a royal visit to Merseyside on Thursday by formally opening the new £35 million Urgent Care and Trauma Centre.
Hundreds of people then gathered to watch His Royal Highness unveil a plaque in front of the emergency department after receiving a tour of the new centre.
Dr Neil Goodwin, chairman at Aintree University Hospital, said: “Our staff work incredibly hard and it was a great boost to welcome His Royal Highness to Aintree and showcase the incredible work that takes place here each day caring for some of the most seriously ill and injured people in our region.
“It was a fantastic day and one I’m sure our staff will remember fondly for years to come.”
The UCAT centre hosts the Cheshire and Merseyside Major Trauma Centre, which provides major trauma services to a catchment area of 2.3 million residents in the North West and Isle of Man.
It is the first collaborative single-site major trauma centre in the country, which sees Aintree’s clinical teams working with neuro specialists at The Walton Centre to provide seamless care for patients with head injuries.
The facility, which took four years to construct, is one of the most modern emergency centres in the country.
Work finished in July on a £1m helipad, which was funded by the HELP Appeal, enabling quicker access for patients arriving by air ambulance.